After a too long pause in writing (or at least editing)….I am back at it. When I hear people discuss DACA I don’t think of these people in a group……I think of their individual stories. I think of a spunky, fun loving young lady that my husband coached in volleyball. I think of Zulema…….
My name is Zulema. I was born in Michoacán, Mexico, and I am 20 years old. I was brought to the U.S shortly after my fifth birthday along with my brother and sister, who were also very young. My dad had already been to the U.S. a couple of times in an effort to support our family and give us things he never had as a child. While we stayed behind with our mother, she did everything she could to make sure we were okay. With our dad being thousands of miles away from it wasn’t easy for her, and we knew it. Continue reading “A Dream of Their Own – Zulema”
So this morning when I woke up, there were clouds in the sky and some relief from the oppressive heat. While it will still reach 100 degrees today, compared to yesterday, it is a much needed breath of fresh air. (OK it’s the valley…the air is never really “fresh”) According to the weather reports, we have at least nine more days of triple digits, which makes today’s cool breeze only a brief respite. So where am I now? I am sitting outside while I can! There is a slight breeze and the clouds are doing a good job of keeping those scorching rays at bay. As I sit here enjoying the little bit of heaven, it reminded me of a prayer that I had yesterday.
and praying for her, I just asked God to give her some normalcy. Just a little something that day to remind her of what life would be like after her treatments were done. Just a little relief from the pain and stress she is going through. It was exciting for me to hear her post later that morning, that she had taken a small but encouraging step. It was not the “end of the tunnel” for her, but just a bit of light to keep on going.
So if you’re walking that tough road, whatever it may be, look for those moments of relief. Don’t miss them. They are hope given to you today, that gives strength for the steps you will take tomorrow.
Well I was spending some time with someone recently that I wasn’t particularly excited about. You know…. It is one of those situations where you are going to have to hear their story again, and it is kind of heavy. He had fallen on hard times, and had started questioning God. 
Is that really how we look at people, all good, or all bad? It seems that a lot of times we do. I think we can look into our own lives, and know that’s not that way it really is. Am I good, Am I bad, or maybe a bit of both? 
Once there was a woman, and she had gotten her feelings hurt. Nothing too bad, but the unkindness hit her especially hard at that time. Maybe she was feeling a little vulnerable. Anyway, the more she tried to analyze the situation, (sound like anyone you know?) she decided that the only thing she could really do was pray for them. She did that, not because she was so smart, but because the hurt was taking over her mind. She knew the person was probably tired, and under some stress. She also knew that the reaction she had received was not normal for them. It was then that she thought, better me than someone else who maybe wouldn’t be able to let go of the hurt. 
Fourth of July…. Independence day. While I am thankful to be an American, I am more
So every year I wind up writing scenes for VBA, or Vacation Bible Adventure. I take bible stories and I adapt them to these vignettes that we do one a day during the week.
Sunday morning. It is always interesting to see what happens on a Sunday, and as soon as I got to church, it started. One of the songs we sang had something to do with the “power in His name”. I actually don’t even remember what the song was, because I immediately started thinking. I wondered, because that is what I do, if I really believed in that power? I am still trying to wrap my mind around that whole “love your neighbor as yourself” thing again. Just then it hit me. The whole problem wasn’t with the loving, but with trusting.
Cheryl Mendoza 